Sleep Well Tonight! Curing Insomnia with Yoga

Whether you are an early bird or a late riser, a minimum of 8 hours sleep is a must to live a healthy, disease-free life. When you sleep, you put your body and mind to rest, and you wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. This relaxation is important to feel energized when you start your daily chores the next day. Unfortunately, most people suffer from chronic insomnia these days. The hectic lives they lead and the stress and tension they suffer from, both in the work place as well as in their personal lives, take a toll on their health. Many people find relief through medication, but that’s not the best cure. By popping sleeping pills, you are able to sleep better, but you become addicted to medicines. When you stop taking those pills, sleep flies out of the window!

One of the common causes of insomnia is over-consumption of caffeine. If you are an avid coffee or tea drinker, you tend to suffer from sleep disorders. Sometimes lack of proper nutrition and exercise, tension, stress and bad sleeping environment can also cause insomnia. It is important to pay attention to what you eat every day. Stick to a healthy eating plan. Also, eat your meals timely for proper digestion. Remember, if you eat very near your bedtime, your body will be working on digestion and you’ll get disturbed sleep. On the other hand, if you partake your meals several hours before bedtime, your digestion system works perfectly, and you’re neither too full nor too hungry when you go to sleep. Insomnia can also be cured if you maintain a consistent sleep cycle. Another practical way to cure insomnia is to practice yoga every day.

Discussed below are a few yoga poses that you can practice every day to sleep well and live a healthy life:

Meditation

Sit in a cross-legged position in the bed. Now lean back slightly on the pillows, close your eyes, rest your hands on the thighs and breathe slowly. You stay in this position for a few minutes. This is not an intense meditative pose. It is just a calming method when you forget the whole day’s stress and just relax.

Seated Twist

Sit straight in the same cross-legged position and take a deep breath. Next, twist your torso to the left when you exhale. You can hold onto your headboard to get some gentle leverage in your twist. Remain in that position and take a few deep breaths. Exhale as you turn your face forward and inhale as you twist your torso. This particular pose is ideal to fix your sleeping disorders.

Cross-Legged Bend

While seated in a cross-legged position, just bend gently forward from your hips and spread your hands in front of you on the bed. Remain in this position and take a few deep breaths. You will feel the stretch in your hips and back. This is an exceedingly calming pose that relieves fatigue and quietens the mind.

Seated Forward Bend

Extend your legs in front of you, while keeping the knees slightly bent. Slowly inhale and sit up straight. Now exhale as you reach for your feet. If necessary, bend your knees as much as necessary, but keep your back straight. Stay in this position, take a few deep breaths till you feel the stretch along your spine and then, sit up straight. This particular pose helps you to unwind, calms the mind and relieves stress.

Half Happy Baby Pose

First, bring your right knee nearer your chest. Next, you must flex your right foot, so that the sole of your right foot face the ceiling again. Now, hold the outside edge of your foot with your right hand and move your knee towards your armpit. Take a few slow, deep breaths and stay in this position for a few minutes. Switch sides and repeat this pose.

Corpse Pose

You just need to lie down flat on your back, extend your legs and arms out straight with palms facing up. Rest in this position for a while till you drift off to sleep.

Sleeping disorders can be detrimental for your health. Make sure you do not spend the night tossing and turning. Practice the above poses regularly, take the tension off your head and sleep well.